Harvest Moon: It's Not Such a Wonderful Life After All
by Koach137
Summary: 20 years have passed since Jack took over his grandfather's property in Flower Bud Village. Many twists and turns await his family.
1. Chapter 1

Harvest Moon: It's Not Such a Wonderful Life

Jack and his son Jerome herded a head of cattle back into the barn. The 40-ish man patted his successor on the back, nodding in approval. "I think that's the last of them, son. Good work today."

"I still can't believe today marks 20 years since you took over from your grandfather," Jerome stated in awe.

"I can't either! At least I still have a full head of dark-brown hair."

A clap of thunder in the distance startled the pair. They looked off toward the northward mountains and saw the lightning as it began to strike. The unusual coloring of the sky went over their heads.

"We better get back inside so we can wash up without getting a lightning bolt up our rear ends!" Jack stated with a laugh. "Your momma's got a big dinner planned for tonight."

Inside the house Jack and Jerome wiped their sweaty faces with towels and headed into the kitchen, where the matriarch Claire stood near the window. Their appearances seemed to go almost unnoticed.

"Claire, you all right?"

"I don't like the looks of those green skies," Claire responded, pushing a strand of her long blonde hair behind her head. "The dogs haven't been able to stop looking in that direction, and they are not acting like themselves at all. Animals are sensitive to ominous weather."

"Well, Jerome and I have to get washed up. Keep your mind on those filets in the oven, and don't overthink things too much. We're more than prepared for the worse."

Several minutes go by, and the family gathered by the dining area to celebrate Jack's 20th anniversary on the farm. Despite concern for the weather earlier, the family was relieved by the sound of silence after seemingly endless thunder towards the mountains despite the fact that the entire sky within view turned pea green. The threesome grabbed each other's hands and said a brief grace before digging into the meal.

"I think this is the best meal you ever made!" Jack exclaimed, taking another bite of the beef.

"This wasn't just any other meal. We're celebrating one of the greatest milestones in your life," Claire replied.

"It's not that great big of a deal-"

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's not like 20 years is that special…."

"Well, who knows how long you'll want to keep farming."

"Hey, now! I intend to remain on this farm till the day that I die… just like Gramps."

A few silent moments of awkwardness went by, and an unusual sound was heard it the distance. Everyone looked up and exchanged puzzled looks.

"What in the world is that?"

"It sounds like a… a train or something, doesn't it?"

Jack rose from his seat and walked over to the door. The horrified look on his face caused his family to run over to him. Much to their horror, a tornado was heading straight in the direction of the farm.

"Oh, my God! I was right!" Claire exclaimed.

The threesome ran over to the side of the house, where the carpenters had built a storm shelter for them within recent times. Jack allowed Claire and Jerome to enter first, but he hesitated to enter.

"Jack, what are you doing?"

"I can't just leave the animals to die. I'm going to herd them in."

"Are you crazy?! That twister is going to hit any moment!"

"I have to do this."

"Daddy, let me help you-"

"No, son! I want you to stay here and protect your momma," Jack answered firmly.

"But-"

"Don't you but me, young man. Listen. I'll be back in a minute with the first of the animals."

"This is crazy!" By now Claire was hysterical. "You're going to get yourself killed."

"Woman, remember your place. I'm your husband, and I am ordering you to shut that mouth of yours… and to have a little faith in the man who has loved and protected you all these years. I'll be right back." With those final words, Jack closed the shelter.

Claire paced around, shaking her head angrily. "That man has always been a stubborn fool. Why?!"

In an effort to console his mother, Jerome put his arms around her. "It's going to be all right, momma. Let's just listen to him and wait."

The ground around them began to rattle violently, and small objects on the shelves in the darkened shelter began to fall to the ground. Both of them rushed to a corner.

"It's here! Oh, my God! Jack!"


	2. Chapter 2

A certain amount of time elapsed, and the epic shaking of the surroundings ended. It was complete silence… unusual silence. Claire and Jerome rose to their feet, ensuring they did not slip on any of the fallen objects from the shelves.

"My God… your daddy never came back!" Claire raced to the door of the shelter, realizing it was locked from the other side. "God damn you, Jack!"

Jerome found a lantern and turned it on, giving a much clearer view of the small shelter. He found an ax and requested his mother to step out of the way. Despite his shaking uncomfortably, Jerome managed to clear an opening so that he could undo the hatch.

The two stepped out of the shelter and could not believe their eyes. All around them appeared to be some kind of scene from a battlefield. Every building on the property was in ruins, and debris and animal remains were scattered about. All of this, though, was overlooked by one thought: What became of Jack? Though neither spoke of the obvious, neither Claire nor Jerome spoke of it.

"Jack, where are you?! Jack, say something!"

Jerome noticed a blue object on the ground near the body of Jack's horse. Reaching over to pick it up, he realized it was his father's hat. The man never took it off except to go to sleep. After a few moments to accept reality, Jerome gently called for his mother.

"What is it?" Claire's eyes set on the hat, and that answered all her questions. A severe chill ran down her spine, and her knees quivered to the point that she fell to the ground.

A few days had gone by. Unfortunately for Claire and Jerome, everything they once owned and treasured was swept away by the monstrous twister. Apart from Jack the only other casualties were Gotz and Karen, whose vineyard suffered critical damage but was not completely destroyed.

The morning of Jack's funeral service arrived – a moment that Claire wished she didn't have to attend, but Jerome insisted on her presence there. Duke graciously allowed them a free stay at his inn, which rarely had any visitors. It was kept open mainly to keep Duke occupied and busy, and he didn't seem to mind at all.

"Damn you for dying, Jack!" Claire was standing on one of the bridges on the mountain, staring at her own mascara-stained face, which was covered in a semi-transparent veil. All in black she was obviously dressed for the funeral. She took off her wedding ring and studied the aquamarine jewel in the center. In a matter of moments she violent threw the ring in into the river, which carried it downstream.

Everyone had gathered at the town square to celebrate Jack's brief life. People noticed Claire's absence and began to question Jerome, who was becoming uncomfortable and embarrassed. His mother became solitary and closed off following the tragedy, and he decided not to interfere. He began to question that decision.

All eyes turned to the entrance, where Claire stood with a solemn, distant look. Gaining no eye contact with her fellow villagers who clearly wanted to reach out, she sauntered over to the front row of chairs and was joined by her son. Her actions made Jerome all the more nervous.

The young man almost wanted to slap his mother for her lack of consideration and rudeness, but he was filled with thoughts of her apparent anguish. Deciding to wisely keep his cool, Jerome almost freaked out again when he saw the absence of her wedding band. Again his mind diverted him from drama, and they listened to Pastor Brown's sermon.

"Claire, is there anything you would like to say?"

"W-what?" Claire obviously had been in another world, and she had not heard a single word the pastor had said beforehand.

"Momma…." Jerome muttered while shaking his head gently.

"Would you like to come up here and say anything?" Pastor Brown stated again.

"No," Claire answered curtly while turning her head sideways.

Nodding his head, Pastor Brown turned to Jerome. "Are there any words you would like to share about your father?"

In an effort not to embarrass Claire for her lack of participation, Jerome shook his head. "No…. Please carry on."

The services ended somewhat earlier than expected. Finding a moment with Claire alone, Jerome talked her into sitting down at the empty bar in the inn. "Momma… where's your wedding ring?"

"I got rid of the damned thing. I couldn't stand having that thing wrapped around my finger for a second longer!"

"W-what?"

"That ring was a symbol of the lies your father said to me."

"Wait a second. How did he lie to you?"

"He always told me he would be here for me no matter what. He chose to go out into that storm. He knew he wasn't going to make it. He threw 20 years away… putting a flock of animals before his own family."

"Momma… he wouldn't have done that if he didn't have a shred of hope he would be successful," Jerome stated in defense.

"Look! I don't want to hear another word about it. Just let me be…. Leave me alone!"

Taking Claire's strong hint that she desired to be alone, Jerome began to venture up the stairs. He turned around and saw her in tears, her head on the counter. The young man halted momentarily and wondered if he should've gone back to console her. He then continued up the stairway.


	3. Chapter 3

Jerome and Mayor Thomas inspected the severity of the damage on the farm, and the latter could do nothing but shake his head while fighting back tears.

"Oh, this is just a shame…. I know this is much worse for you than me," the mayor began while emitting a deep sigh, "but I saw this farm every day of my life for 40 years. Everything that your great-great-granddaddy worked for and then your daddy… all gone."

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make this place as special as it was before."

"Really? You honestly want to take over?"

"Yes, sir. It will be a challenge, of course, but I'm not going to let that stand in my way. I want to make my daddy proud and make this place the ranch it became during his time."

"Wow…. Don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't know you had it in you. I never got the chance to know you very well, but I see now you really are Jack's boy. When he took over for his granddaddy, this place was an abandoned mess, but he turned it around in no time. He had the same spunk and vigor that I see in your face right now. I have no doubt in my mind you'll bring this place around."

Mayor Thomas and Jerome realized the time for Gotz and Sasha's funeral was drawing near, so they headed toward the square. Thomas paused at the entrance, looking up by the winery. "Oh, my. She's back?!"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh. That's Karen, the daughter of the couple whose funeral we're attending," Thomas responded.

A woman in a large brimmed black hat and a matching funeral dress examined the property. She took off her sunglasses, revealing her emerald eyes. After seeing Jerome, she grinned slightly and turned her sights back to the winery, walking further near the damage with a group of people in suits.

"That little ingrate," Mayor Thomas uttered to himself, gesturing Jack to follow. "She walked out on her parents when that place first started going downhill. From what I heard, Karen opened up a clothing store in the big city. She made it big time and didn't give a dime to help her folks out. The whole place went down the crapper and never recovered. I wouldn't doubt she's here more for the fact she inherited that winery more than anything. Those men looked like big business people. Oh, boy. I hope she's not going to bring her city-slicker ass back here and try to turn this place into Madison Avenue!"

"Did she know my daddy?"

"Did she know your daddy? Before your momma came along… all the girls his age knew him very well. He was very popular without even really trying. Let's leave it at that."

Jerome and Mayor Thomas arrived at the square, which remained unchanged from Jack's funeral. The only difference was that his portrait was swapped for one of Gotz and Sasha. The mayor saw a couple of familiar men and raised his eye brow. "I'm not surprised to see Cliff since he's their nephew and Karen's cousin, but Kai…. Oh, boy. This will be interesting."

"What's the deal there?" Jerome asked curiously.

"Kai and Karen were pretty hot and heavy back in the day before Karen decided to take off for the city. Kai was pretty heartsick about her departure and went back to his hometown. He used to work at the winery. While I'm thinking about it now, Cliff was hot for Ann."

"Ann had a boyfriend? I thought she was a lesbian or something," Jerome answered. "I have to admit: I'm pretty surprised about all these people showing up and learning these things I never heard before."

"Your folks honestly never said a thing?"

"No…. They had a bit more class than to gossip about the people they lived around and saw on a daily basis." It was obvious that Jerome had been slightly annoyed with Thomas' big mouth, and the hint was taken by the mayor.

Jerome felt a tap on his shoulder, and he found himself flustered to see the smirking face of Karen. He wasn't sure why he felt the way he did to have her so close to him. But, he was embarrassed for some unusual reason.

"You must be Jack's son, right?" Karen asked. "I mean, the resemblance is amazing."

"Yes, I am," Jerome answered. "My name is Jerome."

"I was very sorry to hear about his passing…. I knew him very well a long time ago."

"Thank you. Likewise for your parents. They used to give me a bag of grapes every time I came by the winery," Jerome answered.

"Karen…."

Karen turned around and faced Kai. It was obvious she did not share the same enthusiasm as him.


	4. Chapter 4

"Kai… what on earth are you doing here?" The narrowing of Karen's eyes showed her annoyance.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Kai retorted, putting his hands over his hips. "Your parents were there for me when no one else was. They gave me a home and an opportunity when I thought I was going to be homeless. The least I can do is to pay my respects."

"I see…."

"I know you didn't see eye to eye, but this must be hard on you-"

"They were my parents. What do you think?"

"Some people never change. Still the same Karen we all know and love," Cliff said with a laugh, reaching over to hug his cousin. "Are you doing all right?"

"Still trying to sort everything together in my mind, but… I'm hanging in there."

"Who were those people I saw you with up by the winery earlier?"

"I guess this was going to come out sooner or later, but I'm making plans for the winery."

"Plans? What kind of plans?"

"I am going to turn it into a branch of my clothing store-"

Fury beamed across Kai's face, and he could not contain himself any longer. "Wow! Your parents aren't even in the ground yet, and you're already thinking of ways to bank off their deaths. Just… wow!"

"I could really care less what you or anyone else thinks, but the property is now mine to do with as I please," Karen retorted firmly.

"Aren't you the least bit sentimental? The winery was in your family for generations!"

"That winery was a crapload of arguments and heartache for me growing up. The sooner it's gone, the better off I'll be!"

"Pastor Brown wants to begin the services, I think," Mayor Thomas said nervously, gesturing everyone towards their designated places.

Evening fell on the town, and Jerome decided to have a drink downstairs at the inn. He sat at the counter and ordered a bourbon/coke mixed drink. When Duke walked away to dry some freshly cleaned glasses, Jerome set his eyes on Karen, who was also downing a drink from the other side.

Karen looked up from the ripples in her martini and grinned. She eagerly rose from her seat and sat next to Jerome, who was somewhat caught off guard by her enthusiasm. "Jerome…. Do you mind if I sit here?"

"No…. Be my guest," Jerome answered unsurely.

"So… it's funny running into you here."

"Yeah. Well, my momma and I are staying here until we can build a new home."

"Yes. I still can't believe the farm is gone… and Jack. He will sure missed by many."

"He was the best man I ever knew," Jerome answered proudly.

"I can see that you have grown up to be his spitting image. Will you and Claire be able to manage?"

"I'm going to build the farm back up to what it was before."

"That's quite an undertaking. I wish you a lot of luck with that one."

"Where are you staying?"

"I happen to be staying here at the inn. I'm not sure how long I'm going to be in town. Believe it or not, I used to be the barmaid in this place at night. Being here is bringing back a lot of memories. It doesn't seem like that long ago."

"Did I ever meet you before when I was little?"

Karen took a sip of her drink and shook her head. "No. I left here not long after your parents got together."

"You're going to turn the winery into a store?"

"Yes. I own one of the largest clothing stores in the big city, and I want to open another location here. I know the women in this village are in desperate need of a new wardrobe, and it will attract interest in this place."

"That all sounds pretty interesting. I can already see this town is in store for some very big changes."

"Yes. Indeed. Do you mind if I buy you another drink? I'm really enjoying your company tonight, and I could sure use a friend right now."

Jerome shrugged his shoulders. Although he still found himself taken by the older woman, he was becoming very comfortable around her. "Sure. I could use a new friend myself."

Kai stood at the window and narrowed his eyes at the sight before him. He clenched one fist and pounded it into the other palm. "That little shit. His father got his way around Karen years ago, and now this little punk thinks he's going to get a taste. I didn't come all the way back here just to lose her once again. She's coming back with me, and no one is going to stand in my way."


	5. Chapter 5

After days of clearing the field of an array of debris, Jerome finally made it bare again. Unfortunately, this was only a small step in a lengthy process to bring life back to the demolished farm. He had worked alongside Jack since he was young on occasion, but his father insisted on doing a lot himself. It was out of love for his son. Though Jerome lacked the experience, he surprised himself by how well he was adapting to the lifestyle. "I wish I had been more involved years ago…."

"Wow! It's looking mighty good." Karen walked up to Jerome and nodded in approval.

"You scared me!" Jerome said, laughing.

"That's the last thing I want to do to you…."

"I have to admit: Your colorful wardrobe and big hats are putting the other ladies in town to shame," Jerome answered. "I always look forward to what you're going to wear next."

"Do you like fashion? I mean, for yourself?"

"I've always liked looking in the catalogues, but I haven't had any good clothes outside a couple suits."

"I'm going to be going to the city tomorrow to check on things at my store. How would you like to come along?"

"Really? Are you serious?!"

"Of course I am. So… what do you say?"

"I was going to take tomorrow off anyways. I would love to go."

"Splendid. Meet me at the docks at 11. That's when the ferry leaves," Karen answered, giving a sly grin as she left.

Meanwhile Claire sat at the bar and was on her third drink. Her behavior was beginning to worry Duke, who had been observing her behavior the past several days. Although Claire was now drunk, she was still quite alert. "I'm ready for my next."

"You know… it's still pretty early in the day, and you've already had three. Why don't you wait-"

"Don't do this to me. This is the only comfort I have. I'm nothing without it."

"The hell you say! You're worth a heck of a lot without filling yourself with booze."

"Really? What am I other than Jack's widow, huh? All I've ever been was Jack's woman. My husband's gone along with my house and everything I've owned. Jerome's more focused on getting the farm in working order before getting us a place to live."

"He's trying to be realistic. It would be wise to have a steady flow of income before indebting yourself with the carpenters in the mountains. Anyways you're more than welcome to stay here as long as you need. You know that."

"I still can't understand why you're being so kind to us."

"You people have been my friends for years. It's my pleasure to do this for you."

"I don't know if I'll ever be in a position where I can repay your or not."

"Hey, now. We already discussed this before, and your stay is completely free. I don't want to hear any more talk of this. Understand?"

Claire laughed. "You reminded me a lot of Jack just now."

"He probably had trouble getting into your thick skull, too. I'm happy you're here, and that's that."

"Thank you. I'm really enjoying my stay here."

"You know, why don't you get yourself more involved in the town's activities or something? You seem to sit around here a lot."

"It's true. I wish I hadn't been such a private person all these years. Most of the people here are nothing more than mere acquaintances to me. I was insecure because of the amnesia I had when I first washed ashore all those years ago, and I made the mistake of never making any close friends outside of a few people, including you."

"As a friend… how would you like me to set you up with a job at my nephew Jeff's bakery?"

"That… would be something. Is he really in need of help, though?"

"He told me that things are getting a little tough for him and Elli now that they've begun shipping around the world."

"I would love that."

The next morning arrived, and Jerome arrived at the docks in a brown Hawaiian shirt, beige shorts, and sandals. Karen was as casually dressed as him when he caught sight of her. For the first time since meeting, the two finally embraced… only as friends.

"Have you ever been to the city before?"

"It's been so many years. I only have a few memories of my last trip there."

"You're in for a real treat. Not only are we going to see my store, but we're going to go on a little tour."

"Wow…. Should I have brought luggage? Are we staying overnight?"

"That depends on how the tour goes. Is that going to be a problem? I didn't think farm boys thought twice about wearing the same outfit two days in a row."

Jerome laughed. "What? Me? No way. I'm up for whatever's planned."


	6. Chapter 6

Standing before a large vanity mirror, Jerome studied his shocking new appearance. He was dressed in a dark-brown suit with a beige shirt and striped tie. It puzzled him how he felt exactly about his makeover. It was a drastic change from the farmer boy from Flower Bud Village – that's for certain. The feeling of two hands around his shoulders temporarily startled Jerome, but he quickly realized it was Karen.

"My, my…. You're looking mighty dapper there," Karen stated in approval.

"I've never worn anything outside of a black suit for rare occasions like weddings. I don't know what to say…."

"Brown is definitely your color – brings out your eyes. You know what would make this even better?" Karen disappeared around the corner, and she placed a brown fedora on Jerome's head. "Now we're talking."

"Oh, I don't know about this," Jerome said laughing. "I look like a thug."

"No. Don't say that. You look very handsome. You look better than all of the men from The Godfather."

"What's The Godfather?"

"…I see that HBO hasn't reached Flower Bud Village yet."

"What?"

Karen rolled her eyes, hiding it from Jerome. "No. Nothing."

"Thanks for letting me try this on. It was fun playing dress up."

"Playing dress up? That's what little girls trying on their mother's clothes say, not grown men taking over a farm! That's the whole point of this outfit. I can tell you need to man up a lot, and I see a whole new person. People thought I was crazy when I said that clothes make or break a person…."

"You are right. I feel so much more… confident right now."

"Please accept this as a gift-"

"Oh, no… I couldn't!"

"Why on earth not?"

"I mean… this thing must cost a few hundred bucks all together. You said it was made in Europe."

"Do I look like I'm hurting for money? Please, honey… take the outfit. I love the way you look in it, and you're going to leave a big impression back in Flower Bud Village."

Jerome took a second to think it over and nodded reluctantly. "All right…. I'll take it, but I'm going to treat you to dinner tonight."

"Oh. I don't know about that. I have a feeling you're going to change your mind when you see how much a dinner out costs here compared to the village."

"It is true that I'm on a very tight budget right now…. What do you recommend?"

"Come on, now. You think I'm only going to let you get out of here with one outfit? Go on and try some more things on. "

Kai staggered over to the fence surrounding the Green Ranch. He took the cigarette in his mouth and dropped it on the ground, crushing it with his feet. His sights were fixed on a young pink-haired girl who was watering the array of flowers around the property. "Hey there, Miss…."

The young woman sped around and eyed Kai curiously. "Can I help you?"

"Would you happen to be Gray and Popuri's daughter Mint by any chance?"

"Yes…. Yes, I am."

Kai approached cautiously. "I don't mean to startle you. My name is Kai. I used to work at the winery many years ago. I happen to be old friends of your folks."

"Funny. I never heard your name mentioned before."

"All right. Perhaps we were more acquaintances, but you get the picture."

"Is there something you want from me?"

"I've been getting to know the townspeople again, and I heard talk you used to go out with Jerome. Is that true?"

Mint appeared to be hurt and turned away. She turned back to face him. "Why are you asking me about him?"

"It's quite evident from what I hear you still carry a torch for the fellow."

"The moron walked off on me when I suggested marriage. I know he doesn't love me."

"Oh, that's nonsense. Who could turn down anyone as beautiful as you? He just needs… a little encouragement is all."

"What do you gain from seeing us together again?"

"I was going to get to that. Jerome's been getting a little too friendly with my ex Karen. I'm not sure if you've noticed or not. In fact, they went to the city together today-"

"They what?!"

"That confirms everything I needed to know about where he stands with you. If you can convince Jerome that he made a big mistake by letting you go, I will make it worth your while."

"I don't know about this…."

"If you're smart, you'll take this into careful consideration. My family has big business back in my hometown. I can connect you to a lot of money if you go along with my plans."


End file.
